Word of the Day - 10/09/25
apophenia
/æpəˈfiːni.ə/(n.): the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas)
He was convinced that the sequence of numbers on his lottery ticket and the date of his birth, despite being random, were connected by apophenia.
Word Origin
The word 'apophenia' was coined in 1958 by German psychiatrist Klaus Conrad. It is derived from Ancient Greek elements. The prefix 'apo-' (ἀπό) means 'from' or 'away from', and 'phen-' comes from the root 'phainein' (φαίνειν), meaning 'to appear' or 'to show'. The suffix '-ia' denotes a condition or state. Thus, apophenia refers to the spontaneous perception of connections and meaningfulness in unrelated phenomena.
Words with similar origins include those using the Greek prefix 'apo-', such as 'apocalypse' (from 'apokalypsis', an 'uncovering' or 'revelation') and 'apostle' (from 'apostolos', 'one sent forth'). Words sharing the 'phen-' root (from 'phainein', to show or appear) include 'phenomenon' (that which appears) and 'epiphany' (a sudden manifestation or revelation).